Those outsiders: How downstream externalities affect public good provision

Some policy problems pit one group?s interests against another?s. One group may determine provision of a project (such as a dam) that benefits group members but hurts others. We introduce a model of such projects. In-group members may contribute to a common fund that benefits them as a public good. Benefits from the project may vary within the group. Provision has negative downstream externalities: contributions hurt agents outside the in-group (“Outsiders”), rendering them anti-social. Many models of social preferences predict that such externalities should reduce provision, although conditional cooperation or a preference for in-group members may counteract this. We test this model with a lab experiment using Outsiders with whom the in-group members have more and less contact. With homogeneous in-group benefits, the presence of negative downstream externalities reduces contributions by half when they have closer contact with Outsiders but not at all when they have had no contact. We introduce a rotating high-return position that allows subjects to trade favors. In this setting, contributions of non-privileged members diminish slightly when faced with the negative externality given closer contact with Outsiders, and not at all with less contact. Reciprocal giving occurs whether or not Outsiders are present.     

A measure of sustainability of Brazilian agribusiness using directional distance functions and data envelopment analysis

The social and environmental impacts caused by the modernization of Brazilian agribusiness have evoked a growing interest in the search of balance between social-economics development and the adequate use of natural resources, driving the country to sustainable development. Therefore, the main aim of this article is to estimate a set of indicators of relative efficiency in the Brazilian agricultural sector, which satisfy the concept of Pareto optimality, potentiates simultaneously both economic, ecological dimensions and social functions. To reach this purpose, the method of directional distance functions and data envelopment analysis was applied. These indicators confirm, in different ways, the hypothesis that it is possible to perform consistent productive strategies with the maximization of social welfare, despite the apparent antagonism among these three dimensions. In addition, it is shown that efficient Brazilian states tend to combine the three dimensions in different ways. Hence, it can be concluded that several equilibrium taken sustainable can be achieved through different actions on poverty and environmental impact reduction without necessarily generating productive inefficiencies. This result can be considered of prominent importance for sustainable development in Brazil and can also serve as a reference in the definition of goals of the plan ‘Brazil without Misery’ and international commitments to reduce Greenhouse Gas – GHG – in Brazil, especially for the 17 inefficient Brazilian states.     

多氯代苯并噻吩分子空间坐标指数与气相色谱保留时间的QSPR研究

运用Chem Office软件绘制37个多氯代苯并噻吩三维图,并得到对应的分子空间坐标Pi(xi,yi,zi)。以多氯代苯并噻吩分子的原子距离指数、分子空间特征指数、分子电性距离矢量、氯原子数为分子描述变量,采用多元线性回归和BP人工神经网络建立描述变量与多氯代苯并噻吩的气相色谱保留时间的QSPR模型。结果表明:多元线性回归建模相关系数R=0.9970,SD=2.1830,基于BP人工神经网络建立的模型R=0.9996,SD=0.3123。为多氯代苯并噻吩分子结构与物性的QSPR研究提供了新思路。     

Hydrologic and water quality performance of a laboratory scale bioretention unit

A bioretention unit (BRU) or cell is a green infrastructure practice that is widely used as a low impact development (LID) technique for urban stormwater management. Bioretention is considered a good fit for use in China’s sponge city construction projects. However, studies on bioretention design, which incorporates site-specific environmental and social-economic conditions in China are still very much needed. In this study, an experimental BRU, consisted of two cells planted with Turf grass and Buxus sinica,was tested with eighteen synthesized storm events. Three levels (high, median, low) of flows and concentrations of pollutants (TN, TP and COD) were fed to the BRU and the performance of which was examined. The results showed that the BRU not only delayed and lowered the peak flows but also removed TN, TP and COD in various ways and to different extents. Under the high, medium and low inflow rate conditions, the outflow peaks were delayed for at least 13 minutes and lowered at least 52%. The two cells stored a maximum of 231 mm and 265 mm for turf grass and Buxus sinica, respectively. For both cells the total depth available for storage was 1,220 mm, including a maximum 110 mm deep ponding area. The largest infiltrate rate was 206 mm/h for both cells with different plants. For the eighteen events, TP and COD were removed at least 60% and 42% by mean concentration, and 65% and 49% by total load, respectively. In the reservoir layer, the efficiency ratio of removal of TN, TP and COD were 52%, 8% and 38%, respectively, within 5 days after runoff events stopped. Furthermore, the engineering implication of the hydrological and water quality performances in sponge city construction projects is discussed.

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碳排放视角下的江苏省土地利用转型生态效率研究——基于混合方向性距离函数

生态效率关乎经济与生态之间的双重问题,要保证在实现社会经济正常发展的同时将环境影响控制到最小程度。CO₂等温室气体的排放作为造成全球气候变暖的主要产物,成为改善全球环境问题的焦点。土地利用转型在一定程度上影响着土地生态,并从土地的投入和产出方面影响土地生态效应,分析其影响机理将有助于最小化土地利用成本,最大化土地生态价值。论文运用混合方向性距离函数模型和Global Malmquist-Luenberger（GML）指数,将CO₂排放量作为生态效率的非期望产出指标,构建土地利用转型投入和产出指标体系,测算2006—2014年江苏省13个城市在土地利用转型背景下的生态效率及环境全要素生产率增长状况,并对全要素生产率变动进行分解,以期缓解经济快速增进带来的生态环境问题。研究结果表明：CO₂过度排放以及能源过度消耗,使得很多城市普遍存在生态低效率;2006—2014年江苏省总体平均生态效率值为0.827,若能够充分利用当前技术水平,资源强度和污染排放强度在平均意义上可以提高17%;江苏省生态效率变化区域差异明显,生态效率存在空间关联性和集聚效应;环境全要素生产率增长呈现地域不均衡性,纯技术进步是影响环境全要素生产率增长变动的重要影响因素;技术规模变化的区域差异幅度最大,是构成环境全要素生产率增长差异的重要因素。     

基于公平与效率双重视角的中国农业碳减排潜力分析

科学估算减排潜力是实施减排责任分摊的基础。论文将环境因素纳入到经济生产体系,构建含有期望产出与非期望产出的农业经济核算框架,借助方向距离函数方法,对2000-2011 年中国31 个省(市、区)的农业碳边际减排成本进行估算。在此基础上,利用人均农业碳排放、人均农业生产总值、农业碳排放强度与农业碳排放影子价格4 个指标,构建农业碳减排潜力指数,基于公平与效率双重视角,对各省区农业碳减排潜力水平进行评估与分析。结果显示:① 农业减排成本地区差异较大。其中,海南、福建、山东、辽宁、广东、北京、天津等省区减排成本较高,其年均农业碳排放影子价格居于全国前列,最高值达2.542×10⁸元/10⁴ t;而西藏、青海两地农业碳排放影子价格最低,分别为0.105×10⁸元/10⁴ t 和0.542×10⁸元/10⁴ t,农业减排成本较低。② 基于农业碳减排的公平性与效率性差异,将中国大陆31 个省级行政区域划分为四大类:西藏等1 省2 区属于“高效较公平”型地区;甘肃1 省1 区属于“高效欠公平”型地区;辽宁等8省2 区属于“低效较公平”型地区;北京等12 省4 市属于“低效欠公平”型地区。③ 西藏、海南、青海、内蒙古四地农业碳减排潜力指数在三种情景下均排名前四,北京、黑龙江、山西三地均排名最后。④ 决策者对于公平原则与效率原则的不同偏好会导致各省区减排责任分摊机制不同。     

流域总量控制下赣江流域控制单元划分技术

作为“控制单元的总量控制技术”的关键环节,控制单元的概念、内涵及划分方法一直存在较大分歧,其重要性没有得到应有的体现. 在分析欧美控制单元的基础上,提出了控制单元的概念(基于“控制单元的总量控制技术”的理念,为实现水环境容量总量的计算、分配和管理等目标,综合考虑水文、水环境、水生态和水体使用功能等因素而人为划分的水质目标管理单元),并阐述了其内涵. 基于GIS技术,采用多指标空间叠加分析和专家判断方法,提出了不同尺度流域的控制单元的划分原则、指标体系及技术路线,并以赣江和锦江流域为例进行了控制单元的划分,赣江流域划分为17个1级控制单元、57个2级控制单元;锦江流域划分为4个控制单元. 对锦江流域开展了非点源参与下动态水环境容量计算及控制单元总量动态分配,丰水期COD_Mn和NH₄+-N水环境容量分别占研究区年总容量的63.4%和60.6%. 假设总量利用率为70%,将控制单元的分配结果作为SWAT(soil and water assessment tool)模型的点源输入,验证控制单元划分方案的可行性,模拟结果显示,良田和均车断面的ρ(NH₄+-N)均满足GB 3838—2002《地表水环境质量标准》Ⅲ类水质标准的要求,说明划分方案可行.      

可燃及有毒气体报警器的规范化管理

科研单位在科研生产中存在着可燃及有毒气体泄漏的危险。基于风险管控要求,通过对中国石化北京化工研究院院本部设置的可燃及有毒气体报警器的统计,分析了科研一线部门和服务保障部门使用报警器的分布情况,介绍了院本部使用最多的报警器的种类及其核心部件气体传感器的工作原理,总结了可燃及有毒气体报警器的安全管理经验,为提升和优化科研单位的安全生产工作提出意见和建议。     

建筑内人员疏散的一种网络模型算法的讨论

针对疏散模型问题进行了一些讨论,在分析疏散模型的基础上,认为网络模型较为适合工程应用,确定发展网络疏散模型。在讨论网络疏散模型路径时,首先将整个建筑物模型划分为四种不同的结构,并假设了模型成立的条件,再按照典型的流量限制原理和该单元内疏散的特点,分别讨论了这四种不同类型的结构的算法。     

基于隶属函数的高速公路安全距离模型研究

为了改善高速公路防追尾安全距离模型,对模型中的驾驶员反应时间进行研究,分析不同车速时驾驶员反应时间对安全距离的影响。驾驶员反应时间受驾龄、应变能力、性别、心理生理状况、车速等多种因素的影响。基于模糊数学中隶属函数的有关理论,利用Matlab软件,在驾驶员反应时间大小允许的范围内,综合考虑各种主要因素,确定驾驶员反应时间。通过具体实例说明该方法的应用,结果证明,应用模糊数学,可以计算出不同的驾驶员,在不同的车速时的反应时间。